Robert Judd, chair and professor in industrial and systems engineering, has been named as the newest Russ Professor in the Russ College.

The new, five-year professorship, which includes an annual salary supplement as well as a travel budget for professional meetings, joins two other new professorships created in 2010 with the gift's proceeds – and two existing professorships – for a total of five.

"Dr. Judd has been a consistent contributor to the academic, administrative and research life of the Russ College," said Russ College Dean Dennis Irwin. "He has been part of various research teams that have brought almost $5 million in sponsored research to the college, including most recently a long-running program sponsored by General Electric that involves designing, implementing and maintaining cost modules that are integral to GE's turbine engine design process."

Since 2004, Judd, also the director of the Center for Advanced Software Systems Integration, has served as chair of the department of industrial and systems engineering. From 1992 until then, he served as Cooper Industries Professor in the school of electrical engineering and computer science, where he taught several popular courses, performed research for the National Institutes of Standards and Technology and served as the chair of the school's promotion and tenure committee. He has published more that 100 papers in respected journals and conferences.

Judd, saying he was honored to receive the professorship, noted that he wanted to thank the faculty, students and staff with whom he has collaborated over his career.

"Without their efforts my achievements would be significantly diminished," Judd said. "I would also like to express my gratitude to the Russes. Their vision for the college made many of my projects possible."

Judd joins Gerardine Botte and Srdjan Nesic of chemical and biomolecular engineering -- both named to new professorships in 2010 – Frank van Graas of electrical engineering and computer science and Shad Sargand of civil engineering.

Bequeathed by the late Fritz, a 1942 electrical engineering alumnus, and Dolores Russ, the estate gift was the largest charitable gift to any public university in the state of Ohio – or any public engineering college in the United States. A portion of the gift – $114 million – is counted as part of Ohio University's The Promise Lives Campaign, which has secured more than $388 million toward its goal of raising $450 million by 2015 in support of students, faculty, programs, facilities and outreach.